REVENGE WITH LOVE : CHAPTER 51 – 60
By Presh Alicia Daisy.
CHAPTER 51 & 52.
THE TORTURER’S NON-EXISTENT SIDE.
Silence descended like a heavy fog after Hazel’s outburst. The adults stood frozen for a moment, unsure of what to do next.
“I’ll hold her,” Tesiera spoke up at last, glancing at Kracus. “She can stay with me.”
Kracus was taken aback, and it showed on his face. “You will?” he asked. “All the way to the destination?”
Tesiera nodded resolutely, her eyes fixed on the child who had buried her head into Tesiera’s neck. “Why? Do you think I’ll harm her, doc?” her voice was polite but challenging.
He shook his head firmly. “None of that. I’m just worried that you’ll be uncomfortable.”
“I’m good,” Tesiera responded. Hazel’s small arms were wrapped tightly around her neck, as if seeking comfort.
Kracus watched as Tesiera gently secured Hazel in her arms and entered the car. He could see the hesitation in her movements, as if holding the child was something completely new and foreign to her.
As the car began to move, Kracus studied Tesiera’s face, trying to read her expression. He knew she was a woman of few words and even fewer emotions, but he couldn’t help but wonder what was going on inside her head.
“Are you okay with this?” Kracus asked, trying to gauge her comfort level with holding the child.
Tesiera looked down at Hazel, her eyes softening slightly. For a moment, Kracus thought he saw a glimmer of something in her expression – perhaps a hint of warmth or affection. But just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone.
“Alright,” Tesiera replied simply, and Kracus could tell she was trying to keep her voice steady.
He noticed how delicately she held the child. Her movements were calculated and careful, as if she was handling a fragile glass figurine. She cradled the little girl against her chest, making sure that her head was supported and that she was comfortable.
Hazel’s small hands clung tightly to Tesiera’s shirt, her eyes focused on Tesiera’s face. Tesiera felt unnerved and out of her element. Never before had she ever had a problem with meeting people’s gaze, but with this three-year-old, she was having a hard time, so she kept her gaze averted.
Once they were settled in the car and the engine started, Tesiera adjusted her hold on Hazel to make sure that the child was secure. She shifted her weight slightly to keep Hazel in place, and Kracus could see the muscles in her arms flexing as she held the child close. It was clear that she was determined to keep Hazel safe and protected throughout the journey.
“Look at me, Aunt Tetiena,” Hazel demanded, taking Tesiera by surprise.
She looked down at the child, and their eyes met. There was no smile on her face, but Hazel didn’t seem to mind. Instead, she gave Tesiera a wild smile. “I like your hair,” the child commented.
“I know,” Tesiera responded.
“How did you know?” Hazel asked, wild-eyed.
“You said so the first day we met.”
“Oh. I’ll get this color for my next birthday.”
“I don’t think your mother will agree to that, kiddo.”
The child grinned and rested her head back on Tesiera’s chest while she began playing with Tesiera’s ponytail.
As the car continued on its journey, Kracus watched their interaction, how the child’s head rested comfortably against Tesiera’s chest, and how Tesiera’s arm was positioned to keep Hazel from falling off.
He noticed how Tesiera’s gaze would sometimes drift down to the child, lost in thought. Kracus wondered what she was thinking about. Perhaps memories of her own childhood or contemplating the child’s innocence and vulnerability.
Tesiera, on the other hand, was unaware of his scrutiny. She was completely focused on the child in her arms. The restlessness she felt had abated, and now she felt more warm and relaxed. It was a soothing feeling she hadn’t felt in a long time.
REVENGE WITH LOVE : CHAPTER 51 – 60
After a while, Hazel’s eyes grew heavy, and she started to drift off to sleep. Tesiera noticed the child’s drooping eyelids and stroked her hair gently. “It’s okay, Hazel. I’ve got you,” she whispered, the words escaping her lips before she had a moment to process it.
When she did, her eyes flashed in disorientation. She turned to see if someone had witnessed that embarrassing moment but was relieved to see Kracus focused on his cellphone. Taking a deep breath, she turned back to the sleepy child and glanced at her in disbelief, as if she were an alien.
Hazel snuggled closer to her, her small hand reaching up to gently tug on Tesiera’s hair. “Aunt Tetiena, can I braid your hair?” she asked sleepily.
Tesiera remained silent, but her gaze didn’t waver from the child’s face.
“Mmh?” The child persisted.
“You can,” she replied at last. “But we’ll have to do it another time when you’re not so sleepy.”
Hazel nodded, her eyes closing again. “Okay, Aunt Tetiena,” she murmured.
As Hazel began to doze off, Kracus saw Tesiera adjust her hold on the child to make sure she was comfortable. He could see the care and tenderness in Tesiera’s movements, which was a stark contrast to the tough exterior she usually displayed.
He had also caught her slip-up earlier but had pretended like he wasn’t paying them any attention because he knew it would be easier for her. Her guards were already down, and he didn’t want her going all defensive again.
He felt a strange mix of emotions as he watched Tesiera and Hazel. He had just witnessed a different side of her—a softer, more nurturing side that he was certain she didn’t think she had. A side Tesiera The Torturer never showed herself or the world.
The woman was breathtaking, but seeing that side of her made her more enthralling to him. How the hell does a man fight an attraction for a woman like her? He had thought he’d gotten the hang of it, but he was clearly wrong, judging from the way his heart beat faster as he watched her.
As Hazel slept, Tesiera adjusted her hold again to make sure that the child didn’t slide down or fall off her lap. She used one hand to support Hazel’s back and the other to cradle her head, creating a secure little cocoon for the sleeping child. She was completely focused on the task at hand, but her face had the gentlest expression he never thought he could ever associate with her.
Perhaps it was time he took Patty up on her offer for a date. The nurse had worked with him for two years, and he knew she had a thing for him.
There wasn’t a Workplace Romance Policy in the hospital, and she had given him all kinds of signals, but he had chosen to ignore them all simply because he didn’t want to complicate the easy relationship they had. Also, he hadn’t really seen her as a woman.
But Nurse Patty was a beautiful woman, and maybe it was time he went out again. His damn feelings were all over the place because he hadn’t gotten laid in months.
His newfound solution to the unexpected affection he had developed for Tesiera calmed him.
******************
REVENGE WITH LOVE : CHAPTER 51 – 60
As the privacy gates of Kracus’s mansion slowly opened, the sound of a car engine hummed into the tranquil air. The vehicle drove into the sprawling compound and came to a stop in front of the mansion, drawing everyone’s attention. Clinton, Bose, and Valerie eagerly waited for their boss’s arrival, palpable with anticipation.
Valerie’s heart raced as she caught a glimpse of her daughter Hazel sound asleep in Tesiera’s arms. She had missed her so much during their time apart, and tears welled up in her eyes as she waited eagerly for the car to come to a stop.
REVENGE WITH LOVE : CHAPTER 51 – 60
Finally, after a grueling three-hour journey, the car came to a halt, and the door swung open to reveal Kracus himself stepping out with a sense of authority. Behind him, Tesiera emerged, cradling Hazel softly in her arms, who was still sound asleep. The child stirred in her sleep and opened her eyes, peering sleepily at the surroundings.
The sight of Tesiera with Hazel sent shockwaves of horror down Clinton and Bose’s spines. They both looked at each other, their faces contorting into a look of sheer disbelief.
As soon as Valerie saw Hazel’s face, she couldn’t hold back any longer. She rushed towards the car, tears streaming down her face, and pulled Hazel into a tight embrace. “Oh, my darling, I missed you so much,” she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.
Hazel, still groggy from her nap, looked up at her mother and gave her a sleepy smile. “Mummy,” she murmured, snuggling into her embrace.
Valerie held her daughter close, her arms wrapped tightly around her, savoring the warmth and comfort of her little body. “I love you so much, baby.”
“Love you too, mummy.”
Kracus referred to his younger sister when he said, “So sorry we scared you, honey.” He could imagine how hard it must have been for her to be apart from her daughter after knowing the child was involved in a shooting attack.
“Kracus!” Valerie’s face lit up as she ran to meet her brother, enveloping him in a tight hug. But as she pulled away, her eyes scanned his body for any signs of injuries. “Are you okay? Did anything happen?” Her voice was filled with worry.
Kracus patted her back. “I’m alright, Val, no need to worry. How have you been?”
“I’m fine, I’m fine. Bose and Clinton have been taking good care of me.” Valerie walked away from him and toward Tesiera.
She pulled Tesiera into a tight hug. “Thank you so much for bringing them back safely,” she whispered into Tesiera’s ear.
What was wrong with today? She was going through all kinds of weird stuff today, Tesiera thought as Valeria hugged her. She didn’t pull away from the woman’s embrace, but she didn’t return it either.
“The boss did most of the job himself,” she responded simply. Valeria didn’t seem to care because she only tightened her arms around her. “Still, thank you so much.”
Tesiera could clearly see where Hazel got her persistence and warm attitude from. Finally, the woman pulled away, gave her a smile, and went back to her brother.
Kracus was already walking toward the entrance of the mansion. Clinton and Bose quickly followed suit, each greeting their boss warmly with handshakes and smiles.
“Welcome back, boss,” Clinton said, patting Kracus on the back.
Bose’s eyes flickered with concern as he surveyed Kracus’s face. “Are you okay, sir? We were worried.”
Kracus nodded, “I’m fine,” he assured them. “Just a few bruises and scrapes. Nothing serious.”
Bose’s expression turned grim, “The attackers are still locked up in the basement. I’ve tried making them talk, but the duo can be very annoying.”
“I had to force Bose to leave them alone,” Clinton interjected, “or you’ll be coming back to meet corpses, boss. Bose is a hot-tempered sonofabitch; he almost killed one of them.”
Tesiera leaned idly against the car, observing the scene unfold before her.
“The asshole was mocking my haircut,” Bose growled, touching his military buzz cut. “I would have broken his fingers, but Clinton is a party pooper.”
“You can’t blame the attacker on this one, though,” Clinton grinned. “The guy was making sense. That haircut is pretty hilarious on that funny-shaped head of yours.”
“Fuck you, man,” Bose shot back, flipping him the bird.
“Heiii, stop it, you two!” Valerie covered Hazel’s ears and glared at them. “We don’t use curse words in front of children, or have you two forgotten?”
“Sorry, ma’am,” Bose and Clinton responded simultaneously, looking guilty.
Kracus smiled. He had missed the duo’s banter and the sense of normalcy they brought. It was good to be back again.
The butler opened the door, and they all walked inside. Bose and Clinton took turns briefing Kracus on important business matters and the mansion’s current state.
“Nurse Patty inquired about you repeatedly when we took Ma’am Valerie to the hospital,” Clinton added, mischief glinting in his eyes.
“Nurse Patty, huh?” Kracus hummed.
“Oh, yes. She—”
“Hazel!? Where are you going!?” Valerie shouted at her daughter, who turned and started running back outside.
They all turned to see the little girl running toward Tesiera, who was leaning against the car in her leather jacket with a stern expression on her face.
“Let’s go inside, Aunt Tetiena, the sun is hot!” Hazel said.
Tesiera’s expression softened as she gazed at the child. Hazel took her hand and began walking back to join the others.
She could have easily pulled her hand away or resisted going, but instead, she allowed the girl to lead her into the mansion.
Kracus watched her walk with little Hazel. Oh yeah, he was definitely going on that date with Nurse Patty.
REVENGE WITH LOVE : CHAPTER 51 – 60
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